Yet another primary school Math question stumps netizens

SINGAPORE: Another primary school math question has left netizens puzzled, sparking a debate on social media about the correct order of solving sums and the importance of quantifiers in mathematical equations.

The question, which appeared on a Primary 3 maths exam at a local primary school, reads: “Mrs. Jin gave each family five kilograms of rice, and she gave it to eight families. How much rice did she give in total?”

The student’s solution was “five times eight equals 40”, but the teacher marked it as incorrect, writing “eight times five” at the top of the page and “40 kilograms” as the answer.

The student’s aunt shared the problem on Reddit, noting that while she agreed that the “kilograms” quantifier was missing, she was unsure why the teacher had changed the order of the numbers in the equation.

The post generated heated discussion among netizens, with some arguing that the student’s answer was correct, while others emphasized the importance of order in mathematical equations and the need to understand multiplication tables conceptually.

This is not the first time a primary school math problem has gone viral in Singapore. In recent years, several math questions have sparked debates on social media, with some parents and educators questioning the difficulty and relevance of the questions.

The Ministry of Education has responded by emphasizing the importance of developing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and by providing resources to help teachers and students master challenging math concepts.